Ralph Norman

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers).

Mr. NORMAN. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. NORMAN. It is not.

Mr. NORMAN. Correct.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, this is not about taking away anybody's career. This is not about trying to harm people. The brave men and women who serve in our military do it because they are a family, and the whole point of this bill, this amendment, is to get the recruiting where it needs to be. We are 30 percent down. As of today, we have spent $1.4 billion on an equity action plan, and nobody has any idea where that money is going. It is high time that we just cut it out and get back to what the military is supposed to do, which is to protect this Nation. As Eli Crane said, who has been on the front lines, this country is in trouble. This country has other Nations that want to do harm to us. By eliminating this, we will take the first step in hopefully getting safety back at the forefront. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, what my amendment does is codify the Trump administration's guidance to prohibit the display of unapproved flags. My amendment prohibits any member of the Armed Forces or civilian employees of the Department of Defense from displaying a flag other than an approved flag in a workplace, a public area, a training facility, or other areas owned or leased by the Department of Defense. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, I would say we do have a difference of opinion on what diversity is. I believe diversity is diversity of new ideas. Diversity is not based on your race or your ethnicity. That is where we are in this country now. We hire the finest to go into the military not because of the color of their skin and really not because of their sexual preference. This is just continuing to try to claim everyone is victimized in this country. Well, I am sorry. It is time for us to put the priorities in place. This administration has been more divisive and is more concerned about ensuring cadets use the right pronouns. How stupid is that? How uncaring is that about the men that are serving? This administration is more concerned about the government forcing our military to take shots. That is not their role. That is why some of the recruiting is down. Yes, it is down. We are weak. Why do you think China is doing what they are doing? Why do you think Russia is doing what they are doing? This would have never happened under a strong administration led by Donald Trump, and to this administration, you don't keep peace by weakness. The purpose of my amendment will strengthen the military, and that is my first and number one goal, which is the security of this country. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), my good friend.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, let me reiterate, flags mean something. We wear flags on our sleeves. We honor it prominently on parade fields. We carry it in combat. We drape it over the coffins of those who have given their lives for this Nation. Approved flags include the American flag; the flag of a State or the District of Columbia; a general officer flag; a presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed civilian flag; a Senior Executive Service and military department-specific flag; a POW-MIA flag; the flag of another country that is an ally or a partner of the United States or for official protocol purposes; the flag of an organization in which the United States is a member; a ceremonial, command, unit, or branch flag or guidon. In the words of former Secretary of the Army Mark Esper: ``Flags are powerful symbols, particularly in the military community, for whom flags embody common mission, common histories, and the special, timeless bond of warriors.'' Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. I will just sum this up: Flags have meaning. Flags have purpose. Flags are a symbol of a great nation, as America is. Flags mean something. It is not something to be flippant about. It is not something to take lightly. To my friends on the other side of the aisle, this amendment has nothing to do with medical service. It has nothing to do with a lot of things that have been brought up. This is about having the Department of Defense approve flags before they go up, pure and simple. Nothing else. I would just say that, as we debate this, I am still amazed that we are spending the time here. I think the diversion that the left wants to provide in the House is to try to move the ball and get the American public off the real problems that we are facing, which are a weakness that we have now under this administration, which is a denial of where we are as a country. It is time to take our country back. It boils down to one issue. We are going to preserve our freedom, and we are going to fight for it. A flag represents that. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to honor one of the greatest heroes our country has ever seen in combat: Major James Capers from Lee County, South Carolina. Many may not know the story of Major Capers, but his heroic actions during the Vietnam war led him to become the first Black Marine Corps officer nominated for the Medal of Honor, where he ultimately received the Silver Star. He is not only a hero because of his service in the Marine Corps but also for his unwavering service in the special operations community. Born in Bishopville, South Carolina, during the era of Jim Crow, Major Capers willingly enlisted in the military to serve a nation that did not always have his best interests at heart. That, in itself, is heroism. After his enlistment, Major Capers was soon selected to join the elite Force Recon Marine Unit, where he excelled. He became the first African American to get a battlefield commission in the Marine Corps Force Recon and was promoted from staff sergeant to second lieutenant, giving him control over the unit. He is a natural leader. He is a father figure to Team Broadminded, a specialized group of Force Recon Marines. Capers and Team Broadminded were routinely selected to go to the most dangerous and clandestine missions in Vietnam. Serving in five major campaigns in Vietnam, Major Capers' missions included a POW rescue ordered by President Johnson, amphibious assaults in the DMZ, recovery of a B-57 rumored to have nuclear bombs, and search and destroy patrols in Phu Loc. Team Broadminded conducted these covert missions and countless more, many of which nearly took the life of Major Capers. In the fall of 1967, still recovering from combat injuries, Major Capers was selected to represent the United States Marines in a national recruiting campaign. A trailblazer for African Americans in the Marine Corps, Major Capers' image, his picture, became the Marine Corps' most popular recruiting campaign. Sadly, Mr. Capers lost his wife and son to cancer, both of whom are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He still regularly receives visits from his fellow soldiers and other young marines and has served as a mentor for decades in the Marines' special forces community. Major Capers is soft-spoken. His commendations offer an inspiring view of heroism and self-sacrifice. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor. He has been awarded the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and three Purple Hearts. Major Capers exemplifies what it truly means to be a hero. It is not the medals but someone who stares adversity in its face and is willing to sacrifice his own life for those of his brothers next to him. It is my hope that every person of future generations can see and hear the story and be willing to do what he has done, which is to be a hero. For these reasons, I have offered two amendments to this NDAA. The first would authorize the President to award Major James Capers, Jr., the Medal of Honor for his acts of valor as a member of the Marine Corps during the Vietnam war. The second amendment would establish that it is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Navy shall name a vessel of the United States Navy the USS Major James Capers, Jr. Mr. Chairman, it is my honor and privilege to recognize a true American hero, Major James Capers.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I find it humorous, for those watching on TV and for those in the balcony, that they keep talking about President Trump. They won't talk about the current President, Joe Biden. I am going to start off with a compliment. He has been able to accomplish being the worst President and has replaced Jimmy Carter as the worst President this country has ever had of all time, and it is because of his policies. I support this going to the Committee on Homeland Security because, as has been said, the border is wide open. The gates are open. How many more deaths do we have to have? How many more of our young people have to die? Mr. Speaker, there were 100,000 last year of record. As a Border Patrol agent said, there are no drug treatments in a morgue. How long are we going to have an administration that is going to take the handcuffs and put them on the police? How long are we going to have an administration that is going to deplete our oil supplies and buy it from countries that don't like us? How long are we going to have an administration that is going to support abortion regardless of the term? How long? Ask the average businessowner in this country if he is having a good year or a bad year. Are prices coming up or going down? We have the worst inflation that we have had in a long time, and it simply cannot go on. The election cannot come quick enough. This man has sold out. This man has to be replaced. Homeland Security is the right way for this resolution to go because we will get the facts. I fully support it. I thank Mrs. Boebert for taking the lead on this.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I proudly stand with Congresswoman Luna to back this censure of a man that has been long overdue. I am glad the galleries are now open where people can see firsthand that you cannot get up in front of Congress or the American people and completely deny the truth and continue to spread falsehoods. There is no TV that could have been turned on over the last couple of years when you didn't see Adam Schiff being questioned: Where is your evidence on the Russia collusion? Where is it? He couldn't answer it. It was always coming. He used his position on the Intel Committee--and for those of you who are listening, it is information we don't get as regular Congresspeople. He used his position on the Intel Committee to spread continuous lies with no facts. How did he do that? He had access not only to the most sensitive information, he also did not share the access or facts that backed what he was saying. The trusted and sensitive position was abused by Congressman Schiff to weave purposeful falsehoods around the Russia collusion. The Mueller report and the Durham report make clear that the foundations of his investigations were bogus. It showed that the Director of National Intelligence, a former Obama Attorney General, former Deputy Attorney General, and the FBI Director, among others, all told his committee there was no direct evidence of criminal conspiracy. Yet, he kept making the statements that his evidence was coming, and it just never did. Not only did he spread falsehoods that abused his power, he went after a man, Carter Page, who was completely innocent. Inspector General Horowitz found 17 major mistakes.

Mr. NORMAN. Inspector General Horowitz later found 17 major mistakes and omissions, which provoked the FISA court presiding judge, Rosemary Collyer, to state unequivocally that the FBI misled FISA. The public smearing of Carter Page as a Russian collaborator, and justification of spurious investigations of him were carried out with Representative Schiff's contribution. This is a violation of American civil liberties, and it is the very abuse that should not be warranted in Congress. All this to spend $32 million on an investigation that went nowhere. It is an insult to the American people. The American people deserve better. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Congresswoman Luna bringing this up. Words have actions. Just because they continue to say it, does not make it true. That is the case of what Adam Schiff has done.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the dedicated service of Joseph Costner who entered eternal rest on March 26, 2023. Throughout the duration of his life, Mr. Costner unfailingly answered the call to serve his country and his community. He was raised in Lawndale, North Carolina, and he joined the Army at the age of 18 where he dedicated the remainder of his life to fighting for the country he loved proudly and profoundly. First, serving in the Korean war, Mr. Costner later completed two terms in Vietnam, where his unwavering courage resulted in numerous medals of honor, including the Presidential Unit Citation and the Bronze Star. He eventually retired after 26 years with the rank of chief warrant officer 4 specializing in Army intelligence. Following his retirement from the Army, Mr. Costner continued to serve his country for the next 17 years with the Defense Investigative Service where he rose to regional director in Roanoke, Virginia. His dedication to serving his country and his people was perpetual, and he spent the last 27 years of his life with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he prepared taxes free of charge for low-income, disabled, and elderly citizens of his community. Within Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the greater community, Mr. Costner was widely referred to as a hero, a role model, and most of all, a friend. He was greatly loved and cherished by his wife of 60 years, Helen; his three children; five grandchildren; great-grandson; and countless friends. Mr. Costner set the gold standard for over 70 years of service dedicated and committed to his country for which he will long be remembered. For all that, we join in saying good-bye to a hero.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Madam Speaker, as I sit here and listen--I am on the Rules Committee--I hope all those listening in the balcony, what my Democrat friends are saying are just words. My strong belief is that this fentanyl bill, H.R. 467, is a step in the right direction. The issue that is plaguing this country is the invasion of the border. Where have we heard one word from my Democrat colleagues about stopping the invasion? We are a Nation of borders. Every nation is sovereign or you cease to be a Nation. That is where our fentanyl is coming in and it shocks me to keep hearing you say it is coming in at designated points of entry. There are no designated points of entry. The whole border is open. The lives that were lost due to the drug overdoses that killed 100,000 of our young people last year, why does that not resonate? I have no earthly idea why this administration is intent on keeping our borders open, and they know it. You got a Vice President who is laughing at it. You got a President who hasn't even been there other than to go on one regulated visit to the border. It is insane, and the American people are tired of it. In South Carolina, I went to a news conference with police officers. They seized enough fentanyl to wipe out the whole State of South Carolina. What do we hear from the other side? Crickets. We hear nothing, and it is a crying shame of what happens. Mr. Speaker, I will end with this: A DEA agent who was talking about this problem--he had picture after picture of our young people--said, In the morgue, there are no drug treatment centers. In the morgue, there are no education systems. In the morgue, there are no things to coach people who are in a casket. It is a sad day for America, and hopefully this insanity will end at some point in time when a new administration takes over.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to speak to you today in honor of our police force. What better time to honor the brave men and women of law enforcement. They don't do it for the money. They do it because of service. What you are hearing from the other side is just not true. They are the party of defunding the police. Their own Vice President put up bond money for rioters. I can name you--and I am not going to name them by name--you have got one, two, three--five sitting Congress people whose statements are ``defunding police means defunding police,'' ``efforts to defund the police department,'' ``no more police.'' They are the party of defunding the police. What better time to celebrate the fact that men and women are willing to do this? They see things we don't see. They go places we don't go. To have 135 officers shot in 2023 is unacceptable. Fifteen officers have been killed by gunfire, and 43 officers were shot in ambush-style attacks. The amount of officers shot in the line of duty is up 52 percent from this time in 2020. Words are cheap, but it is what we as a party are doing to support the police. The statistics are outrageous. I look forward to considering legislation that supports our police officers and condemns the leftists' efforts to dismantle local law enforcement agencies, which they do. To all those in law enforcement, Mr. Speaker, I thank them. For those who are willing to go through good times and bad times to protect us, I thank them. God bless every police officer in this country.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, hearing my friends on the other side of the aisle talk, you know, we really are in two different universes. We live in two different universes. The invasion that is happening at the border has not happened to this country, nor any other country that has survived. For you to make the claim of compassion, where is the compassion for the rapes that are occurring along the border? Where is your compassion for the farmers? It took your Vice President--I don't think she has been to the border. It took the President--I don't think he has been to the border where the crossings were really occurring. He went for a photo op. Mr. Speaker, this is a crisis that no country that has ever had this type of invasion has been able to survive. America is at a crossroads, and this administration is guilty of opening up the borders. There is no point of entry. That is where most of the illegals are coming that they can't track. As my good friend from Texas, Congressman Roy, said last night at an 8-hour Rules Committee meeting, the fact is, you don't want border security. You want everybody from every country to come into America. It is not fair for the police. It is not fair for our farmers. What about our schools that are being flooded? What about The Salvation Army that is being flooded--will be flooded? What about our hospitals? For anybody and everybody coming into this country, it is not right. Let's look at some of the figures. By the way, this is the strongest immigration bill that has ever been put forward. Just over last weekend, there were 26,000 apprehensions; over 7,000 got-aways; over 164 pounds of marijuana; 84 pounds of cocaine; 11 pounds of fentanyl; and three sex offenders. This is just what was caught. What was missed? We are on track to have over 6 to 10 million illegals in this country that are taking advantage of our citizens, taking advantage of our police force, and taking advantage of those who have lived in this country. Get the wall built, which this bill does, and at least have some type of knowledge of who is coming. I have been to the border, and it is a sad sight to see. I have seen what is happening when they load the buses and distribute people all over the country. What about those who have done it legally? Last August, Biden formally ended President Trump's successful Remain in Mexico program, and within Biden's first 100 days in office, he took 94 executive actions on immigration.

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I will just end by saying this is un- American. It is not fair. I don't know how we walk this back, but this bill is something that will protect this country. It will help this country, and it will stop what this President is implementing.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding work of the Cherokee Historical and Preservation Society (CHAPS) on the occasion of the grand opening of a new wing at the Cherokee County Museum. The CHAPS is a nonprofit organization founded in 1969. Their mission to ``preserve our region's history and cultural heritage'' is imperative. One of its goals from the start was to create a history museum for Cherokee County, South Carolina. That goal became a reality in May of 2008, when the Cherokee County History and Arts Museum opened to the public. This May, the organization is excited to open a new wing. The Cherokee County Museum is now home to a vast collection of artifacts presented through interactive exhibits and displays. The new wing of the museum offers brand new exhibits that will enrich visitors of all ages. The ``Culture Zone'' houses History Galleries, Arches, and Genealogy rooms. The improved ``Kids Zone'' includes a STEM Lab and Arts Experience. The ``Sports Zone'' has a sports Hall of Fame and training room. In addition, an immersive theater allows visitors to travel through space, into the seas, and through time. Through the hard work of its volunteers and supporters, the Cherokee Historical and Preservation Society has established the improved Cherokee County Museum as a major educational institution to South Carolinians and visitors alike. From its opening in 2008, to its major expansion today in 2023, thousands of students, community members, and tourists have learned about Cherokee County's unique role in South Carolina's history and culture. On behalf of the 5th District of South Carolina, it is my most sincere pleasure to recognize the Cherokee Historical and Preservation Society on its long-lasting impact on the community, and its great service of education to our state. Please join me in congratulating the Society on its opening of the newly expanded Cherokee County Museum.

Mr. NORMAN

Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support raising awareness for Barth Syndrome by proposing April 5, 2023 to be known as ``Barth Syndrome Awareness Day''. Barth Syndrome is a life-threatening ultra-rare disease that effects around 150 individuals within the U.S. In particular, I want to highlight the work of Shelley Bowen who is a constituent of South Carolina, and her amazing work as the founder and former Chair of the Barth Syndrome Foundation, which she started in 2000. Shelly's activism was born out of necessity when her two sons, Evan and Michael, were diagnosed with heart failure. Shelley spent every spare moment in search of a diagnosis and in 1990, she finally received some answers. Her tireless work and dedication to raise awareness, provide support, and search for a cure has been incredibly profound and admirable. Please join me in thanking Shelly for her efforts in raising awareness for Barth Syndrome and for founding the Barth Syndrome Foundation.